Children honor Jamestown's 400th birthday

WorldNetDaily ^ | June 16, 2007 | WND

[JHL]

A century ago the government erected a monument to honor the 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Va., and carved into it an admonition to "serve and fear God the giver of all goodness."

This year, with the government calling the Jamestown founding an "invasion," the sole monument to honor the 400th anniversary is the Jamestown Children's Monument, dedicated yesterday during events held by Vision Forum Ministries...

[JHL]

My family was at Fort Pocahontas yesterday for the dedication of this memorial. It was a powerful event -- very inspiring. This is the only memorial dedicated to honor the memory of our Jamestown forefathers on the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement in America. It was paid for by the one-dollar donations of children from all across the country. Here's a picture with two of little members of the JHL family admiring the monument they helped fund.

[kjo]

Very little national coverage of the commemoration. Much like the anniversary of Columbus' discovery of America in 1992 it's become controversial. These were discoveries and settlements of white men on lands that were inhabited by native peoples and liberals don't much like it.

[oyez]

I’ve heard some reports about how part of the exhibit decries the establishment private property in the New World and the theft of Indian land.

[Sherman Logan]

This year, with the government calling the Jamestown founding an "invasion,"

Accurate, though only one side of the story. The land wasn't empty when the white man arrived.

[JHL]

This event was actually an alternative celebration that was put together as an answer to the politically correct “official commemoration” last month. Yesterday the place was packed with thousands of families and children, many of whom attended in period costume. Tours and commemorative events all week long have been sold out, with people from every state in the U.S. in attendance. But you’ll read nothing about this celebration in the press, because this event was explicitly, and unapologetically Christian. Last night, Jonathan Falwell delivered a speech that his father, Jerry Falwell, had planned to give, but was unable to due to his untimely passing last month.

[kjo]

You know, we really have two very different populations in America today: one that is proud and loves this country deeply, and the other that believes this is a terrible place and they are owed something.

[JHL]

Accurate, though only one side of the story. The land wasn't empty when the white man arrived.

It's even less than half the story. The settlers knew the land wasn't empty, but their purpose was to bring the Gospel to the inhabitants of the land, not to overthrow it by force of arms, as would be implied by the word "invasion." It is nothing to be ashamed of that these settlers sought to evangelize and civilize the heathen who were, by and large, practicing pagan rituals, that included in some cases human sacrifice and ritual torture.

[JHL]

You know, we really have two very different populations in America today: one that is proud and loves this country deeply, and the other that believes this is a terrible place and they are owed something.

You used to be able to call the former group "Republican" and the latter group "Democrat," but I'm not so sure any more.

[Stayingawayfromthedarkside]

Of course, those same liberals don’t mind the “natives” being their garderners, maids, and poolboys.

[Eternal_Bear]

The Jamestown colony was intended primarily as an economic enterprise. I am not aware that Powhatan's people practiced human sacrifice. There is no evidence they put people to death for heresy and practicing witchcraft as they did in England to propitiate an angry deity but am open to the possibility.

BTW, I am direct descendant of a Revolutionary War veteran whose family was actively involved in the Indpendence movement and am very proud of them. They had to flee England to escape religious bigotry. One of my later ancestors married a Native American whose ancestors may have lived with Powhatan's group.

I don't think this is a black white issue. History is very complex. Obviously decrying Jamestown is not going to accomplish much. You have to accept things as they are and deal with it.

[JHL]

I agree that economics was a primary motivation for the settlement, however, with respect to the natives, the charter of the Virginia company made it explicitly clear that the purpose was to bring to Gospel to the natives. This was also the express purpose behind those, like Richard Hakluyt, who pressed for decades for the settlement of America -- not for economic reasons, but for the bringing of the Gospel. The following quote from the Charter given to the Virginia Company makes their purpose clear with respect to the natives:

We greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for the Furtherence of so noble a Work, which may, by the Provience of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, propogating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God, and may in time bring the Infidels and Savages, living in those parts, to human Civility, and to a settled and quiet Government...

As to the savages, Powhatan's people were angels compared to the other tribes in the region. John Smith gives detailed accounts in this journal of child sacrifice, which he personally witnessed as a guest of one of the other chieftains in the area.

I agree that history is complex, but we do a great disservice to our forefather's memory when we paint them as money-hungry, genocidal adventurers, which is the impression one gets from the postmodern texts that fill our schools these days.

[Sherman Logan]

I believe that you’re giving an account that is as biased on the “white man good” side as the multi-cultis are on the “white man bad” side. The truth is mixed and complicated and messy, as with all human history. Both versions have elements of truth, but the real truth is somewhere in between.